Taipei City Government invites public to join run

By Mo Yan-chih / Staff reporter

Singer J.J. Lin, left, and taekwondo athlete Su Li-wen, right, join Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin, second left, and an unidentified woman at a promotion in Taipei yesterday for an Earth Day run at the Dajia Riverside Park on April 20.

Photo: CNA

The Taipei City Government has invited the public to join a run on April 20 at the Dajia Riverside Park as part of Earth Day events and activities.

The “Run for Earth” activity, co-organized by the National Geographic Channel, aims to raise public awareness about environmental protection. The run includes two routes — a 4km run and a 13.5km run — and runners can register online until March 29 at: www.fictw.com/ngc.

Stressing the city’s efforts to improve the environment, Hau cited the construction of bike lanes, the launch of a bike rental program and a reduction in the level of trash in the city.

“To hold the run in Dajia Riverside Park is meaningful because riverside parks are part of the city’s environmental achievements in turning venues into recreational sites for local residents,” he said at Taipei City Hall.

Taking the city’s bike rental program — YouBike — as an example, Hau said that 58 new rental stops have been established across the city, which offer more than 2,000 bicycles for rent in response to the growing popularity of the bicycles.

The daily amount of trash produced by local households was reduced to 894 tonnes last year from 928 tonnes in 2011, Hau said.

“These are collaborative achievements of Taipei residents to improve the city’s environment. Taipei residents are very conscientious about environmental protection, and we are working harder to turn this conscience into more action,” he said.

Lin and Su, who will both attend the run next month, praised Taipei for becoming a city with a accommodating environment for exercise, such as biking.

Hau said the city will continue to promote public bicycles and encourage public transportation.